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Posted May 19, 2011 07:46 pm - Updated May 20, 2011 11:23 am

Letter: Re: Ben Brown's Commentary

Ben Brown’s Sunday commentary shamelessly praising legislative efforts to further line the pockets of corporate oil sponsors in their attempt to dismantle Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share act did not go unnoticed. Despite his round-about politic exposition, Brown’s argument nets-out appearing straight from the ring-leader himself, Gov. Sean Parnell, the former (and one presumes well-paid) oil industry lobbyist who not coincidentally made the issue his top priority as governor. But, of course! What else might we expect from these guys? Never mind that even though the relatively recent passage of ACES four years ago was a huge undertaking and an intense examination of how the petroleum production assessment system worked, Mr. Brown had to tout the current debate of this very matter as being “overdue”!

Likewise, never mind that the Alaska Constitution states that our resources shall be managed for the “maximum benefit” of its people. Or that the revenue from ACES during these high oil prices has provided thousands of jobs in paying for many forms of development for the state. And never mind that the decline in oil production has been anticipated for decades because the fields are not infinite: Blame it on ACES! We are the most financially sound state in the union many thanks to ACES, a plan which includes generous tax credits for the development of new fields,and does not kill the golden goose. Let’s use common sense, and consider the source when presented with contrary arguments.